Possibilities of electron beam nano-meter-scale fabrication of Si(111) using alkyl monolayers

A novel process of electron-beam nanometer-scale fabrication on Si(111) wafer surfaces has been proposed on the basis of application of organic monolayers as the ultimately thin patterning media. The monolayers on Si(111) wafer surfaces composed of alkyl groups (C_n H_2n+1^_) prepared with the Grignard reagents were subjected to electron-beam patterning, and deposition of metals onto the electron-bombarded patterns by immersion into aqueous solutions containing Ni²⁺ or Cu²⁺ ions. This entire process has been put into practice successfully as a benchmark test. The strength of alkyl-covered Si(111) surface against the processing environment such as in vacuum and aqueous solutions has been demonstrated